A fantasy football punishment from last year might actually get me fired.
By @willawelp · Work
Our league commissioner (also my manager) is insisting I go through with an old punishment: being his 'assistant for the day' at the office. In front of everyone, including senior leadership. I feel like it's a massive abuse of power and completely inappropriate.
The full story
I am in a pretty high-stakes, 12-person fantasy football league, mostly with current and former coworkers. The buy-in is significant, and the punishments for last place are always elaborate and public. I've never finished last, until this past season. The punishment, which we all drunkenly agreed to before the season, was that the loser would have to be the 'personal assistant' for the league champion for one full workday. The champion was my direct manager. We all thought it was hilarious at the time. I've been dragging my feet on doing it, hoping he'd forget or let it go. But with the new season's draft coming up, he's insisting I make good on the wager. He sent me a calendar invite for next Friday titled 'Punishment Day.' He's talking about making me fetch his coffee, print his documents, screen his calls, and even bring him his lunch. He thinks this is the funniest thing in the world and has been telling other people in our department about it. I've tried to push back gently, saying it seems unprofessional and could be perceived badly. He just laughed and said, 'A bet's a bet.' My main issue is that we have a new VP on our floor, and our team has a big meeting with her that day. The idea of having to perform these mock-servile tasks in front of her, and my entire team, is mortifying. It feels like it completely undermines my professional standing. I spoke to another league member who's also a coworker, and he told me I'm overthinking it and that backing out would be a 'cowardly move' that would ruin the league's culture. they said everyone knows it's a joke. But it doesn't feel like a joke to me. It feels like my manager is using a non-work agreement to humiliate me in a professional setting, and I'm worried about the career implications. I am seriously considering just refusing, even if it means I get kicked out of the league and create a huge amount of awkwardness at work. Am I wrong to think this has gone way too far?
How people voted
- Totally Cooked — 32% (15 votes)
- It’s Complicated — 43% (20 votes)
- You’re Fine — 26% (12 votes)
Readers say “It’s Complicated” (43%) — 47 votes and 5 comments so far.
What people are saying
@alsofine — This is a massive abuse of power and you should go to HR. He's creating a hostile work environment.
@vinceagain — Sounds like you work with a bunch of children.
@kit — A bet's a bet.
@paigelol — do it and just do a terrible job lol
@ahhfine — Never mix work with pleasure.
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